Setup A Bluetooth GPS On A Windows Device

If you are using a Trimble R1, Eos Arrow, or Juniper Geode device, first read those specific help articles. This article is a more generic guide for Bluetooth GPS devices. Be warned that Diamond Maps does not have strong interface capabilities on Windows devices and therefore the following instructions are complex. You might want to consider using an Android or Apple phone or tablet in place of you Windows laptop/tablet.

To get Diamond Maps to communicate with a Bluetooth GPS (such as the Arrow, Geode, R1, or Bad Elf) you must download a free app from the Diamond Maps website that acts as a bridge between the GPS device and Diamond Maps.  This bridge solution is only needed on Windows devices since other solutions are in place when using Android or Apple tablets and phones.

First Time Setup

1.  Pair your GPS device with your phone/tablet
   1. Turn on the GPS device
   2. Go to your phone/tablet's Bluetooth settings and locate the GPS device listed as one of the nearby devices and select it to pair it with your phone if it is not already.
2. Determine the com port being used by the GPS
   1. On your windows tablet go to your Bluetooth settings screen.  To do this swipe inward from the right edge of screen and then press and hold the Bluetooth button for a couple seconds and then select "Go to Settings".
   2. On the Bluetooth settings screen click "More Bluetooth options"
   3. Select the "COM Ports" tab
   4. Identify the "Outgoing" virtual COM port coming from your GPS device.  In the example picture below that is "COM7"
3. Download bridge app
   1. From the browser on your tablet go to https://diamondmaps.com/downloads/gnssbridge.exe  to download this file
   2. Your security system will probably try to block the unknown file so tell it that you want to allow or keep this file if prompted.
   3. In your browser's list of downloads (along the bottom bar in chrome) select the option "Show in Folder" for this new download
   4. From the list of downloads press and hold down on this new file and then select "Pin to start."

Starting the interface each time you use it

1. Run the Bridge app 
   1. From your Start menu click on the GnssBridge app.  The first time you run this you may have to tell Windows that you trust this new program.
   2. On the gnssBridge app screen (See Picture 2 below) select the com port matching what you determined in step 2d above.  This should always be the same.
   3. Note the location of the output file shown here because you will need this below in 2c.  This also will never change.
   4. Click Start.  You can minimize the Bridge app but it must be left running during the entire time you are using the map.
2. Start GPS tracking in Diamond Maps
   1. Open a map in Diamond Maps and go to Menu - GPS Status
   2. Select "On" and then select "NMEA Bridge File" as the source
   3. Click the button to select a file and then browse to and select the myLocation.txt file.  (Sorry, but due to browser security requirements we are not allowed to pre-select this file for you)
   4. Some browsers do not support the ability to read a file.  This works on Microsoft Edge, Firefox, and Chrome prior to version 81.

Done.  The map should now start showing the Arrow location.

Picture 1: Bluetooth Settings


Picture 2: GnssBridge App